Watercolors
by A.J.RITE
Summary: "everyone knows oil and water don't mix." but for those how have seen it happen know that it creates a tiny rainbow. (Au with a mainly OC cast)
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1: Princess of Amnesia

The woman sat on a throne of the softest, finest materials, yet she was in pain. Daily she calls the most beautiful, but her heart had lost its beauty. She had fought, kicked, screamed, sold her voice and died to get to where she is. She loathed it, tears ran down her face in hate.

"Such an awful face for a lovely queen to make." The woman's head shot up hearing a chorus of voices echo in her empty prison her pupils turning to stilts.

"Queen?" she thought "queen of fire, queen of beasts and rage, not a queen of loveliness." She frowned at her own opinions tears cascading face once more.

"We know what you want." A wind brushed the hair off her neck and she blanched in fear, and wanted to scream.

"Dear who's there?" he voice of her warden echoed in the hall ,her stomach writhed at of him using 'love' to keep her chained to this throne, keep her in a cage, ever more.

"A second chance, a new dream." The chorus whispered cautiously to her "Stronger ….hope? Will? Your choice." They teased her weakness in front of her. "We can do that, all you need to do is…make a wish."

"A wish." her mind echoed, her whole life she never wished, she did, and went she couldn't she found away. Her mind drifted back to when she left the safety of the dark woods and that old hag the 'deal maker' who gave her power to be strong enough to fight the demon that now kept her captive. In exchange for her voice and consequently her beauty.

"Love? What are you doing?!" the footsteps of her tormenter bounding toward her. The woman snarled with all her strength 'love' was just a title like songstress, or little finch.

"So what's it going to be?" The woman felt a psychical presser of the chorus beside her.

"I wish-."

Calliope sat straight up in a cold sweat, her shoulder length hair cling to her head, she panted eyes wide in panic. Her hands clasped over her mouth, stifling a scream. Calming down from her momentary hysteria and with a deep breath, she examine her surrounding pristine blue above her, deep green grass along with some wild flowers swayed around her. Standing up on wobbly legs, she tried to remember where she was but, her mind drawing a blank on anything beyond her name. Walking down a small slope, she saw a clear body of water.

"That me!" She shouted at her refection; in the water was a slender girl looking somewhere between thirteen and fourteen dressed in an embarrassingly frilly white gown stared back. Calliope prodded herself, careful the big hazel eyes, small cupid bow lips, and lush honey amber hair seem inhuman to her. Thinking what that water was playing a trick on her see tour her eyes from the doll like reflection and across the water only to see a thick wall of fog that seemed to consuming light hanging at the half way point.

"Watch out!" Calliope looked up at to find the source of the voice, only for something not hit her square in the forehead making her blackout on impact. When she finally came around, she had a splitting headache, her back in the field of grass. She glanced up to see someone staring back with a great worry; a girl with big round cyan eye ,long red hair dressed in a plain outfit of a black t-shirt and jeans. "Maybe I should have shouted move or something." She chuckled with a shaky smile.

"Umm, yeah." Calliope responded as if nothing happened "what hit me?"

"Me." The redhead laughed, as Calliope just looked at her in wonder "here let's get you up." She changes the subject pulling Calliope to her feet with a surprising grip "it's more like I fell on than hit you."

"How?" Calliope asked as the redhead left her to pick up a large bag along with a bow and quiver sling the three over her shoulder.

"Some legacy brat made me miss the train, had to get here the old fashioned way." The girl sighs looking over at Calliope, the red head standing several inches taller than her. "I'm Katsi." She gave a small smile, holding out her hand.

"Calliope." She took Katsi's hand, fallowing her instinct her memory still beyond her reach.

"Aww such cute name, your definitely M.C.M." Katsi looked at her with a sisterly shake.

"Umm M.C.M." Calliope asked worried.

"Main character material." Katsi laughed, pulling Calliope along to a polished stone path. "So I'm guessing you're here by luck." She asked talking as if Calliope was her best friend.

"Luck?" Calliope asked, confused, but was too nervous explain that in here mind she just started existing.

"Yup your luck." The red head giggled as she was pulled Calliope through golden gates that had something engraved in it that she couldn't read.

"What do you mean?" Katsi stop hearing Calliope's panicked voice. The grip on Calliope's hand changed her look up, Katsi's gaze changed to something more protective.

The taller girl pulled her along "The three Ls that separate the schools more than the schools themselves." Her voice was a whisper snapping her fingers to get Calliope's attention "Legacy." She pointed to a small group of giggling girls in pastel grown, Calliope stared at the group thinking how artificial they look in contrast Katsi "Labor, which is what I am." She turn to Calliope and patted the shoulder "And luck."

Calliope smiled up at her new found friend, her eyes growing wide at the end of the straight path. It building dwarfing trees and as white as an egg towered with golden framed windows reflecting the blue of the sky. Walking inside the massive building all the students were funneled through a short hall of mirrors, she looked her reflection more clearly though it still seemed off to her and it made her slightly unease. Katsi looked at her giving a sympathetic look, and pulled her along. Calliope turned her head as the hall opened up into a massive octagonal room each wall had a massive door of heavy dark wood. Her eyes widened reading the decorative words engraved upon each door. Honesty carved deep into the door painted gold, Compassion done in some sort of flowery script each O filled with a bright pink gem, valor painted a deep blue , justice embroidered with steel and painted white , sacrifice carved in almost invisible next the called honor brightest and gold and demand attention. Spirituality and humility were painted blue and green seeming purely innocent in their place.

Her eyes flicked back noticing a pale incorporeal thing slide through the sacrifice as something that made its way out of it, her blood run cold. A doll of undecided gender five feet tall walking and blinking dressed in the a grey tunic and trousers it stared at her and she flinched Katsi noted and pulled Calliope closer the animate doll tried to pursue them only to be stopped by several other students how started to order it around.

"Good day ladies." A tall woman with glowing, translucent hair greeted the two as they made their way to the center of the room. "Welcome." The woman glanced between the weapon carrying and winded eyed nervous girls. Then handed them a small piece of paper and a stack of books. Calliope glance at the paper hoping to see something to give her a clue of who she was.

432, 4th floor: Compassion Hall

1st period: Know Your Role

2nd period: Basic Protection of Purity

3rd period: Philosophy of Good

4th period: Temperance and Decorum

5th period: Surviving fairytales

6th period: Study Hour

"What you get?" Kasti glanced at her and gave a confused look, Calliope peered at Katsi paper to that the top _Katsi of Krylock_ was scrawled. "Hey where roommate!" She shouted comparing papers. Calliope smiled happy to have to only person, who she trusted and could help her close by.

Hendrix walked down the sterile, narrow halls of the school for evil his large flowing black robes taking up a sizeable amount of space. He tried to suppress a smile as a scrawny boy folded way from him, Hendrix examined him his acidic green eyes.

"He's probably luck." He smirked turning down a branching hall, students brought to the schools by luck where always skittish on their arrival, but the ones dropped in the school for evil will stay mortified for days wondering how they got picked to live in such a _sterile hell_. Hendrix temped the idea to be a rebel rouser for the students of luck, but that would require him to be a one which he wasn't or to befriend one long enough to enacted a plan. He stopped at small window that could easily coved by his hand, the tall dark walls and thick mist that bored the school reminded him of home. His father was poured to discover that he got in to the school through labor that he worked hard to stabilize his father's control in the lawless lands. He could have used his father's legacy but, they had both agreed that it wasn't Hendrix's to claim. His father didn't have to raise him to be health, strong or intelligence as he was. His farther could have just killed him.

"What are you doing?" a gruff voice vibrated behind him. He turned to see something that caught him off guard but not so surprising him enough to show.

"Uh what?" The said up to a hulking suit of armor, his father warned him about the growing trend of combining technology and magic, and had seen several other suits wander the hall, but none painted black or, talk or had to glowing red lights peering out of from the visor of its helmet.

"What are you doing wandering about?" it bend done to him each of its movements clicked like the sound of breaking bones.

"I'm bored." Hendrix said, he had arrived at the school at dawn and despite benign strongly ordered to stay in his room curiosity got the better of him.

"Bored." The armor shuttered "Bored!" the suit's tone changed grabbing the rim of his robe collar the hand yanked back his dark rust colored hair. Reveling that his ears had been pierced many times each piece of jewelry was well-crafted and loaded with rare gemstones. The sentient armor dropped him. Hendrix shot the suit a glare and smoothed back down his hair, his fingers and wrists equally elaborately decorated. "You better be run to your room! Because if I see you wandering around where you're not meant to be I'll rip every out every stud from your ear and leaving bleeding on the floor!" Hendrix ran away from the suit until he turned the corner and began to walk at a normal pace, he assumed it was time to get back to his room. He assumed his roommates would of shown up, hope to hell that they aren't going through his stuff.

(AN: I'm fumbling with the concept as I go, so forgive me if there's some inconstancies.)


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Eyes

Calliope gripped Katsi's hand as the red-haired girl as she was pulled through the doors labeled compassion. Entering into a spacious hall, the floor made of earth tone granite. "It's okay, we're almost to our room." The red-haired girl said making Calliope nod, confusion and fear still floating in her soft hazel eyes. Katsi looked around to make sure no one was around to hear them. "Hey listen, I don't know what happened to you, but since you got yourself into this school you are guaranteed safety."

Calliope nodded reasserted by the confident girl's statement. With a smile Katsi resumed walking with Calliope in to an airy room every inch of its walls covered in elaborately colored tile mosaics. She stared at scenes it depicted with a feverish curiosity.

A man in a blue wind-swept cape catching the blade of an executioner's axe, as a strange elvish looking child cried underneath him.

A bard dressed in purple performing to a crowd of gray faced emaciated people.

A woman with a shield on one arm, a small pistol the opposite hand. Standing between a horde of angry villagers and, a well with a trembling family of bat face gremlins at the bottom.

Calliope's gaze switched from wall to something in the corner, a thin white mist slipping into a small crack in the tile. She turned her head to Katsi ask if she saw the retreating mist, she stopped seeing that Katsi was to focused on getting them to the upper floors. "Oh! Now I see it." Katsi smiled leading her over to at first seemed to be a flat tiled wall, but as they got closer saw the wall shift. Reviling a hidden stair case the color of red clay curving up to a vine framed balcony above.

"Come on." the red-headed girl exclaimed as Calliope was willing pulled up the stairs.

At the top stairs the two girls emerged in a small common room, several students lounged around or move in and out of the room with suitcases. A small group of girls dressed in short jewel embroidered shirts had stopped talking, and stared at Calliope and Katsi.

"You know what really pitiful April?" A girl with lips as red and thick as tomato from her seat, Katsi gripped Calliope's hand tighter starting to move to the door.

"Umm what is that dear June?" Another girl said twirling her ebony hair as she basked in the sun that came through a massive window, her deep caramel skin giving a golden glow.

June smiled with grace and gentleness, but Calliope could see a glint of something animal in her azure eyes "it's just so pitiful that school masters think that Nevers, and the children of no name pig farming have the right to be standing in the same school as us."

Katsi stiffened willing herself to move her and Calliope along a June continued "I mean my father said the three L's are useless and cause nothing but, fight and all sorts' madness." She ran a finger through her hair as vibrant as autumn leafs her words accented with a worried wine.

Katsi flung the door open yanking Calliope through with such a force that she quickly glanced down, to make sure she hadn't hurt her. Then let go of her arm and tore at her red hair "Legacy brats, I hate them!" She shouted and kicked the wall "Just because you're born in to a family with life-giving tears or pulled a rusted piece of junk out of a pile night soil, you suddenly think you're in the right about everything under the sky!" her voice was a hiss, what turn in to a pained moan. "I hope another cataclysm comes and wipes them all away." She rubbed her arms in a coddled self-hug.

"Are they that bad?" Calliope asked staring out as other students stared at the two with a cold deadly stare. She couldn't help but wrap her arms around herself as well, so terrified that someone would shout out and revile how blank she was, that she didn't belong.

"No, no." Katsi inhaled gently taking Calliope's hand gently, leading her down the hall in sniffling silent "let's just get in our room" Calliope looked at all the cozy cottage doors in a prefect line along the wall as they made their way up more stairs.

The duo approach door numb 432, Katsi reached out and opened the door. A strong smell over fresh-cut plants blasted out into the hall, Calliope covered her nose and mouth at the smell. Katsi at however didn't seem to mind and walked in a clam strides. Preached on of the bed was a girl in scruffy home spun cloths, hair the color of a muddy creek held back with dried veins.

"Oh hello." The girl said tilling her head at entering two, her eyes the color of oyster.

"Hi." Katsi put on a pleasant tone.

Calliope looked between the two before chirping "Howdy."

Katsi gave an encouraging nod before taking the reign over the conversation "I'm Katsi and this petty piece of luck is Calliope." She gave Calliope a big sisterly hug

"Oh your luck!" The girl jumped off the bed giving a squeal, she scooped up Calliope's hands bouncing excitedly "I'm Cecily, my brother and I are also here by luck."

Calliope smiled back but, she didn't know what say Cecily 'I'm not luck, I'm a mistake.' Her thoughts crept in her smile wavering. Cecily tucked a piece of her honey colored hair behind her ear, then gently let her go.

"Oh which hall is your bro staying?" Katsi asked not fazed by the silent exchange

Cecily's smile dropped at the question "I don't know."

"But didn't you two come to this school together?" Katsi inquired not understanding the change in her mood, bright eyes expectant.

"We went to the schools together." The atmosphere in the room seemed to shift drastically. Calliope mind went back to the wall of fog, her heart pounding against her chest like some wild beast wanting out.

"Oh." Katsi's voice was a whisper "I'm so sorry I didn't know that…."

Cecily's hand shot up "No, it's okay my family lives in a Never kingdom so he should feel at home in there." Her voice was calm for the situation.

A silence consumed the room, Calliope took the opportunity to get a good look at the interior of the room. Knowing that's she would have to learn to live in this school until she remembered who she was or can find someone to help her.

The room looked remarkably cozy, with daisy colored wall between elaborate murals trees branching up into the ceiling creating a velvety green canopy. She stared mesmerized by the lights hanging down shaped like little golden heart-shaped fruit, on the far wall was a well-crafted window with a sill so large it could easily be use as an impromptu desk. The detail of the room but her at unease the beds though wonderfully crafted along with it being smothered with quilts and pillows, there were only two.

"Um." Calliope made a worry noise to get their action, she then points to the bed Katsi's eyes widened is this detail for the first time.

"I call this one!" Cecily jumped on the bed she was setting, a wild smile on her face.

"You can have that one." Katsi said to Calliope with the composer of a big sister how was being old told say such a thing.

"No." Calliope jumped surprised by her own frighten voice "I mean I-I." she squeaked grappling for recovery, as Katsi stared her down confused.

"Why do you guys play a game for it?" Cecily said getting comfortable on her bed "Winner get the bed."

"Okay sword shield silk now!" Katsi thrust out her fist at Calliope.

Calliope recoiled as if she was going to be punched "What?"

Katsi gave an enormous sigh, and explained the game. Sword shield silk is usually two or more players would simultaneously from tree shapes with an outstretched hand. The shield by keeping the hand in a fist, silk by flattening the hand, and sword by pointing out to fingers.

Calliope practice by making the shapes it felt familiar to her, and she was sure that she must have play this game before.

Katsi mentioned that the game had historical significance, but it was loosed to interpretation now a days.

After being to the sword slashes the silk, silk disarms the shield, and the shield beats the sword. Calliope was ready to give it the zero sum game a try. It was harder than she thought, even though the rounds pasted by instantaneously neither her nor Katsi actually had intention to the two prolonged the game for 'just one more round' for a good half hour.

"Okay that's fifty Katsi wins!" Cecily shouted intervening, after the duos fourth tie breaker.

"Awe dang it!" Katsi put her tired hand down "Okay I guess you lose." She unhappily expected her winnings and put her bag on the extra bed.

"Okay." Was the only thing she could say, even though Katsi was disappointed to win. Calliope didn't have any memories of sleeping on a bed so she surmised, that she couldn't uncomfortable on the floor.

Slowly the door to their room opened Calliope swallowed a startled shrike as she saw the uncanny doll creature staring at the trio.

"What do you want?" Cecily looked at the doll with annoyance, as Calliope stumbled backwards pressing herself against the farthest wall.

The figurine dressed in gray tilted its head in Cecily's direction indicting that it heard her, but it's eyes glassy and ice color continued to bilk at Calliope.

Katsi frowned also off put by the doll's behavior "Is it broken?"

"Hey what… are …you... doing… in… our… room." Cecily spoke to the doll slowly.

The porcelain automaton swiveled its head to stare at the other two, before opening the door all the way gesturing out in the hall what was now streaming with students.

"Oh right there's that thing we got to go to." Katsi jolted straight as she remembered heading to the door.

"Aren't we suppose to get our uniforms first?" Cecily questioned tilting her head

Katsi just shrugged "apparently not, come on Calliope."

Calliope didn't budge, the doll was still in the door way and had returned its focused back on her. 'it knows, it knows, it knows, it knows, it knows, It knows.' Her thoughts wheeled tears in her eyes from panic.

Surprisingly Cecily notice Calliope's distress before Katsi. "Don't worry, constructs can't do anything unless told to." She held Calliope by the shoulder helping her to pass the ogling doll.

Calliope continued to move along with her roommate, focusing on joining the rushing crowed of students. A deep chill shot through her entire body as she felt slick puppet like hands raked through her hair when she walked the doll. She didn't say a word or turn around in fear the construct would become violent if called out, she just close her eyes letting Cecily's grip guide her through the school.

When Calliope finally felt safe enough to open her eyes again she was presented with a massive room with rows upon row of seats sectioned off into eight tries that where split into two. The looked like it had been stitched to together at the center. The side she entered on seats were made of the same dark wood and trim with sapphire paint they also had baby blue cushions, and was illuminated by swirling rainbow-colored glass that drooped from the ceiling. While the other side was poorly lit and everything from their seats to the door were made from the same stark metal. Calliope saw that side of the room as being ill or gravely injured, a patient put on life support and left to dissipate to the back of the doctor's mind.

"Come on." Katsi called down from the stair case that connected the tiers.

Calliope waved back to reply and ascend the stairs after her, as she passed by each section she could see words engraved on each row on the row opposite side. Honesty, Compassion, Valor, Justice, Sacrifice Honor, Spirituality, and Humility. Where always set across from Fraudulence, Cruelty, Cowardice, Unethicalness, Denial, Disobedience, Unearthliness and one that seem to startle her Pride.

She manages to squeeze herself in to the last possible Compassion rows between Cecily and Katsi when the metal doors popped open an ice blast leading the way for the students from the other school. Calliope watch those of students flood in she didn't why she what was looking for, until a wheelchair being tossed and kicked out of the crowd caught her attention. The crowed dissipated revealing a girl with blond locks and as chubby as a marshmallow crawling across the floor, Calliope wonder why she was on the floor, the looked at wheelchair.

Worried Calliope tried to sit up knowing that, poor girl was in need of help. Katsi firm grip and stern eyes stopped her. She sat there as students on both sides just talked and ignored the girl who was inching her way to the knocked over wheelchair. Calliope closed her eye hoping that someone would help the struggling girl.

Her eyes shot open hearing the sound of clanking and something being dragged into the room. She opened her eyes to Hendrix in his black robes smiling being dragged in by animate suits of armor. Hendrix stood up with staring at his fellow students, Calliope not being his only observer, he looked over at the prone girl on the floor. He walked over to the girl his movements reminding Calliope of scavenger birds waiting for their prey to expire.

He knelt beside her lifting a piece of the girl's hair. Hendrix talked to her for a solid five minutes before standing up his arms outstretched to her.

The girl shook her head chest heaving.

He Hendrix face contoured then, the way a feral animal does when bearing its fangs.

Calliope could feel Hendrix's voice, couldn't hear what he said just the power and commanding force behind it.

The girl shook for a moment before get to her knees. Hendrix's smile returned and lifted her up no problem, and began to carry the blond up the stairs. Talking to her and paying no mind the shocked and scornful looks from those they passed. Then set the girl on the Cruelty set across from Calliope's.

Calliope felt like she should thank him for having a heart. Anything she thought she could say to him, died seeing his eye that made deep retching fear in her stomach. Unlike the doll's eye that where dead and all-knowing, Hendrix's eyes where more alive than any others and profoundly curious.

Hendrix chuckled at Calliope's reaction, then moved away to an open seat on Pride's row.

 _ **(AN: thank you so much for reading, I'M REALY surprised how many views the first chapter got. if you enjoyed please tell me or go to my profile for a link to where I'm currently posting an original fantasy story. Once again thank you for taking time to read this.)**_


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Forget

Calliope's chest tighter her breath ragged as a new anxious wave flooded her, drowning her. The sight of Hendrix eyes made her feel a type fear that set her blood on fire and she hated it. She wanted to scream to lash out

'I can't be here, I'm going to die and it will hurt.' The thoughts bombard her. Tears rolled down her cheek as Cecily squeezed her hand comfortingly. She squeezed back her sight growing dark from dread.

The darkness grew to such an extent around her, she closed her eyes just letting it take her. In the dimness that resided behind her eyelids, she was shockingly clam. A floaty feeling opened up inside her, her mind same with emptiness making her lose her sense of balance. She opened her eyes once more and saw the room, the others around her. She couldn't feel a thing, no fear, no guilt, just a strange floaty blankness.

She looked at Hendrix then seeing him starting up at him from the row below still looking up at her with dark amusement. The world crashed into focus at the sight of his eyes, his eyes made her blank as much as it brought her fear.

'Stop that.' She thought his way scooting back into her seat.

Hendrix smiled and turned way as if receiving her message.

Calliope looked away as feeling strange, her body and mind fuzzy and uncomfortably hot. While she kept, her eyes trained away from him she noticed the blonde girl the Hendrix had brought up. Calliope felt sad that such an innocent looking girl would get neglected like that, her gaze went down cast hating herself for not fighting hard enough.

Her heart sank see the girl's legs, more exactly lack of legs. Several inches below her knees her legs just stopped, no feet or ankles just empty legging that dangled like black flags.

Calliope's heart shattered, she couldn't believe the awful world she had been thrown in to.

Katsi put a hand on her on Calliope's shoulder "I know it seems rough but that just how things are." She told her in a sisterly tone "after the cataclysms, you just can't judge thing by your eyes or your soul, even the words of our elder are no longer hold the truth."

Cecily started nodding emphatically "My mother told me there was a time when all witches were evil." She leans in her voice was a whisper "And… And there was no way to bring back the dead."

"I know and to think it common practice for evil to bring back the dead whenever they can get a chance."

Calliope looked between the two, with confusion and a type of worried she didn't understand. It was like what the world the two girls were talking about didn't fit with her reality, but if Calliope could not remember what the world was like why did she care or that it worried her like it did.

"Aye but you can't control them unless you're a pure evil." Katsi continue to gossip "Or a Lich"

Cecily gave her a sharp look covering her mouth, as the sound large flapping wings filled the room.

The room went silent as to large winged shadows blanketed the room, the flapping filling the room with rushing wind. Calliope looked up seeing birds, two birds of average size circling overhead. She watched as the two birds soared away from the ceiling, make out the long neck of a swan and the gagged angular body of a raven, as they fluttered down to land on the podium.

Everyone from both sides tilted theirs heads at the swan and raven that had mad such a wind storm. Mutters of confusion started up at the sight of the odd couple of birds. The swan unlike the fragile white birds that bobbed gracefully in the water, was an oily black color its postures strong and threatening eyes dark and pricing. The raven papery white feathers ruffled a puffed up and on end, beaks and legs a pale blush color. Top off with eyes the color of water-logged cherry's the albino bird was a disaster to see.

"Good, evening students." Calliope gasped as the swan spoke in a seductively feminine voice, stretching out its wings in a grandiose fashion "I'm Oralee and this is Colden." The swan inclined her neck to the dissolved raven, the crowed of whispering at the upcoming revelation. "We are your deans, Colden is the one for good while I reside over evil."

"You've got to be kidding me." A boy from one of the Cowardice row stood up sending a shock wave of outbursts.

"Birds?" bounced about the Calliope's hearing but, could catch "My mother told me." and "In my grandfather's time." Within the growing uproar.

She turned to look at her roommates who were engrossed in their side conversations, Katsi looking like she was fighting the desire to tackle the student below her.

Confused and shaken up Calliope made herself small looking for the quickest way out of the room, her eyes fell on the raven Colden who cocked his head to her. The peal bird blink several times at her before his wings tips began to glow an icy indistinct color as a clap of thunder shaking the room into silent.

All heads focused on the two birds on the podium.

Calliope mouthed a thank you to the pale bird, who just turned to his head away from her.

"Sit. Down." Colden voice was edged and frigid as a tundra "All of you." The students who had been standing shivered and stiffly returned to their seats.

The black swan looked at her companion a ghost of a smile crossing her eyes. "Well, I guess you are awake Colden." a whistling noise emitting the black swan's bill "Now that you've all had a good ego spanking, may we begin?"

No one responded from the crowed, Oralee nodded her wings fluttering gleefully, before turning to the opening doors on the right.

Calliope turned to see the thin layer mist slipping past the legs of the gray doll creature who was opening the large door she came from. Behind the porcelain automaton was something alien to her but, not as frightening as the doll. A figure dressed in a strange hooded the cloak that consumed its wearer but, unlike the others how began to murmur around her looking away as if painfully slapped. It helped her focused, focused on the deep sky blue color of the fabric, on the word's burgundy colored calligraphy that dance between purple clouds.

'She is curious, I want to know what she sees.' She reads the wording before turning the purple fog, she turned her head to the hood to the vague outline of a man's face, a smile.

"Oh, you boys are so cute." Oralee chortled at the two in the door way "But we have these rug rats under control, so run along" She teased and the door closed

"You, go." Colden's sharp voice turned to the metal door.

Calliope's eyes quickly went to the metal doors closing catching a withered hand and shining eyes before clicking shut.

"Now?" The pale raven shook in attempt to straighten his snarled feathers

"Yes, yeas calm yourself." Oralee soothed playfully "now despite our rough start I want to thank you all for coming here, the world needs fearless souls like you." Her voice was triumphant her head turned to Hendrix kept his gaze low and sullen, the black swan narrowed her eyes at his reaction. She tilted her head to the group and continued to speak with a smile in her voice. "You since the hour of your birth, you've been studied by the seven Schoolmasters and where if you are hereby you strong ties to your legacy or by the deeds you unconsciously performed, or even for reasons they refuse to tell us." Calliope could hear a slip of contempt in her words before returning to a more ordinary tone. "You're all destined to change the world in very special ways."

Colden spoke up "Because if you don't, nothing will stop the world from changing you." Calliope shivered reflectively as the raven pointed his beak at her. "All of you."

She closed her eyes taking a deep breath catching a small sniped of conversation, nothing important just two words "Cataclysm." And "Sticher."

'I hope another cataclysm comes and wipes them all away!' Katsi's voice echoed through her mind and she knew despite her lack of knowledge of the situation she was could the dread that lived in those words. Calliope watched to the two birds prattle on almost comically about neutral areas and enrichment and improvement areas, that a student could get based rankings. She soon got miserably bored with it all. She couldn't stay at this school not when every unknown thing gave her such anxiety.

Her gaze fell as a heavy feeling took over. 'I can't leave, I won't know where to go' yet, she was beside herself on what to do.

"Now in this difficult and complicated times, we have options for those in the utmost lower ranks. "The black swan smiled her liquid black eyes gleaming "We have on honor system, if you have at least three teachers to vouch your worth." She giggled inwardly "you may be able to switch schools instead of imminent failure."

Streams of murmurs blackened the rows of students, intensive side glares made its way between the two side. As if trying to conspire with each other with the limited amount of contact, Calliope watched Cecily stare with sad intensity at the other school. A bang of sorrow slammed against Calliope's heart at the thought her roommate might fail out to be with her brother.

"But!" Colden squawks at the angrily at the crowd "You can only do these three times, after that you must talk to the dean of the school you resided in and accept your failure and all consequences that go with it." The black swan glare at him making him continue reluctantly "or agree to the special learning program, it would increase yours stay a lot longer than original four years.

'four?' Calliope mulled over the time. Could someone rescue her in that time? Maybe she could survive 'till someone she can't remember came to this strange school and take her away.

Her arm shoot up, there was something she needed to know.

"Oh, yes dear?" Oralee swiveled her neck to Calliope. Face alight at seeing her move, wing flapping happily.

Calliope swallowed hard, self-conscious with the sudden attention it granted her. "What are the consequences for failure?" she said as smoothly as possible.

The black swan bellowed with laughter, unnaturally loud and heady "it's rather harmless really." She cooed when calmed "instead of graduating with the rest of the class, you'll be set up for auction where your custody to be sold away to the highest bidder."

"That's slavery!" The outburst sending waves of discontent through the student many standing in revolution at what they heard.

It was short live a frigged wall of wind "stop your belly aching! you all here by freewill." Colden straighten up red eyes narrowed the surrounding children "now that you have to take a risk, you think you all can ball 'it's not fair I want fame not responsibility!" The albino bird cocked his head at a group of gaping students "I'm right."

"Freewill, right." Calliope huffed.

"As cruel as it may sound, your ancestors did have to do trough worse." Oralee continued in a calmer softer tone "being turn to plants and." She looked down at herself momentarily "animals." Her feathers ruffled in distaste "but, studies show exposing immature bodies to polymorphic spell increases the risk of creating a Sticher."

There was that word again, everything that had happened to her so far made some sort of sense. Yet, the word Sticher didn't quite click in her mind. Was it meant to be derogatory? Is it a disease? Since it seemed to be a common word, she wasn't going to ask.

The disinterested voice of Hendrix snapped across the room "Tell us about the Paladins already!"

Oralee nodded a grateful look painting her birdy face "Yes, the Paladin class is a small group of students chosen at the end of the year by the Schoolmasters."

Colden insentiently began to speak seeming to play devils avocet one more "it's brutal, soul crushing and life derailing, every hope, every dream and wish you made will be destroyed. In order to shape your around what you can salvage." His voice filled with the nerve as he tried to think counter statements "along with leaving the schools ground for months on end, to be put in danger which most would not survive."

The dean of evil gave her counterpart a sidelong glance "even though, what he says is true being able to train to be a Paladin is one of the greatest honor anyone can achieve." Her voice became a cooing lullaby "A Paladin whether good or evil are one of the greatest influences in the deconstruction and formation of the philosophy that keep our world turning."

A smattering of mummers rocketed through the crowed then was quickly subsided.

"But, it a job with a taxing obligation." The white raven's voice barked "The primary purpose of a Paladin is the protection of soothsayers, if a Paladin encounters a Seer or Oracle, or heavens forbid both. The Paladin must dedicate with life to their protection and, no, you just can't kill them to avoid the responsibility."

Many evil students grumble, the title of Paladin losing its luster to many of them. Hendrix just gave a smudge closed mouth smile, as he pieced together a plan what would wiled him the best results. His father already several Paladins under control, a couple Hendrix knew personally begin practically raised by them. An Oracle on the other hand was something his father was in desperate need of, finding one that speak and speak coherently would be a problem. Seers where just too frail for his old man's liking.

Calliope was smiling in her own right; this Paladin class was something of an escape route. A deep part of her knew she was in a situation she couldn't walk out of, so she had a year to master a song and dance to get by. Try to figure something else about her besides her name, and go home. Whatever that real meant for her?

She bent over rubbing her head a wave of nausea washing over her, she rubbed her head breathing becoming shallow.

"Oh, one last thing." Oralee made chortling sound "everyone has their first appointment with the school match maker before lunch."

Calliope felt Katsi's a hand gripping her shoulder yet, she too ill to look her roommate in the eye. It felt like there was glacier growing in her stomach, heavy and cold. Her stomach convulses and throat tightened, covering her nose and mouth she tried to stand.

"Now with the necessaries out of the way- "

The ground felt like it was moving under her feet even with the support from her roommates she felt like was going to topple over. Blackness swam into the corners of her sight, students from both sides stood up as, Katsi voice was distant, just sharp tone and inaudible words.

" _Where ever you go, even if you runaway into your own mind, remember that you are mine."_

Calliope body heaved a rancid bitter and watery thin began to pour down her lips. Her sight faded as a chorus of unrecognizable voices jack hammered.

" _Don't you forget."_

Her whole body convulsed and she felt her free arm smack into something. Intake in a breath only heavy more unknown bile to rise up and take from her, pressing her hand harder against her mouth she felt the disgusting liquid spill down her soaking the fabric of her white gown.

" _I will pull you back here and kept you with me."_

In the frigged dim world, she saw something approached her she coughed as a phantom figure got closer. A hand lifted up her chin softly a smooth gently thumb rubbing her dripping lips. Her eyes tried to focus, and stared at him. Yes, she was sure it was a him. She couldn't take in every detail of his body and quickly committed to memory what she could. The high arch of his eyebrows, the shape of his check as he smiled so slightly at her, a lock of hair the color of the spring moon.

" _Forget me!"_

The chorus of disjointed voices crystallize into one, his voice.

Calliope shiver and coughed her voice nothing more than a wheeze "no." she wasn't going to forget this.

(AN: sorry for this long chapter where nothing happened)


End file.
